I was laid off three months ago after working as a project manager at a tech company for over five years. During my time there, I mostly coasted, doing the bare minimum and occasionally putting in extra effort. I avoided office politics and kept my social interactions to a minimum, which seemed to work well for me. However, being unemployed has shifted my perspective on workplace behavior. I've started to notice why some people engage in behaviors I once dismissed as inauthentic, like attending social events or expressing excessive gratitude towards the company. I used to think that asking obvious questions in meetings was just a way to seek visibility, but now I see it differently. When you have responsibilities, you often feel the need to do whatever it takes to keep your job and income secure. While I still don't fully endorse these behaviors, I understand them much better now. Experiencing unemployment has made me reevaluate how I approach work and the value of certain workplace behaviors. I'm curious if others have had similar revelations after experiencing layoffs or periods of unemployment.